I have watched most West Tigers matches in the past few seasons. I'm not sure if you have also watched West Tigers games, Ellis has certainly been in the world class bracket consistently, and has collected high praise from pundits and coaches alike.

I am however indecisive on how much Leeds should offer him, and wouldn't be so sad to see him play for a different team. It is good for superleague that we have a world class player back playing in our country

Being a stand out performer at club level does not make you world class, to be world class you need IMO to be a stand out performer either in internationals or WCC, something that Ellis as failed to do. I would still have him back at Leeds though.

GH has a very rigid salary structure - Ellis will command a salary significantly higher than the best paid player at Leeds - Sinfield. GH will simply not pay what the likes of Warrington will. Given his agent he may well end up at Hull KR

for the sake of super league he needs to sign for cas or wakey, if he can improve either of those teams so that we go from a competitive top 4/5 to a top 7 or 8 then maybe the england team can benefit

its a bit unfair comparing anyones international record against the auusies as more often than not they are playing on a losing team, on a personal level i think most of the current england team could hold down a place in a aussie club side but collectively they just dont combine as well

They ruined Morely in the NRL. We sent them an 80 minute all action, back row tackling machine with brilliant hands and they returned a 20 minute prop who specialsed in knocking people out. I've never seen a players skill level deteriorate faster, apart from perhaps when Harris went to Union.

It was alleged Ellis joined Leeds for less money than was on the table at the time with Wakefield and I wouldn't be all that surprised if he did something similar for the opportunity to test himself in the NRL.

Perhaps his next deal will be all about the money and/or length of contract but I get the impression making life choices doesn't just simply boil down to the hard cash in his case.

As I said earlier if Leeds is his number one choice I hope a sensible deal can be done but if it can't then so be it. Time does pass by so quickly these days.

Re Ellis' International form - I think I've been underwhelmed by it throughout his career but as Leeds won't be playing the likes of Australia and New Zealand for the foreseeable future it's not something I'm going to lose any sleep over from a club supporting prospective.

Would have him back at Leeds, but hopefully for a sensable
Fee, not paying over the odds. On Delaney I think he is having a cracking time in the back row, his work rate is great he tackles anything and were he was fairly pedestrian speed in the centre in the back row is alot better. He strikes me as someone who loves to be in the thick of it rather than in the centre.

But to your point re world class. Don't fully agree. Yes it would be good to see him in the internationals being successful, but he has played and achieved player of the year 2yrs in a row in the best competition. It's a team game and internationally we are weak in comparrison and this won't do him any favours.

I would have the Gareth Ellis of 2007-2008 ,but we cant do it out of sentiment,and I am sure GH is thinking the same.He will be 32 and he is being released a year early,why?

As seen as GH refuses to deal with players who are with his agent eg shenton and later perhaps disco. I can't see it happening.

Apparently it's a clause in his contract. Can go early provided not to NRL

Read the article

You posted the same on the Wigan board, what do you mean?

Ellis will not be 32 next year

First rule of politics, kiddo: Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Or just ask Rob Burrow

Could it be Ellis GH went to see on his annual jolly down under? we can only guess.

However with sinfield now concreted in at 6 i would have Ellis back as a loose. Big ball carrying, tackle machine looses seem to be the way the game is going

GH was talking a lot about a certain Manly back row forward on Boots n all. Apparently he really enjoyed the game.

Ball carrying tackle machine is only how the game is 'going' in SL - I can't remember a time it wasn't generally that way in the NRL except for a few bigger stand offs moving to loose forward later in their career. The NRL has never been big on 'ball handling' loose forwards. Probably because they tend to have halfbacks that don't need that sort of help to set up the play. IMO its one of the things BM has got spot on with his selections for Leeds.

AP has pulled a few big chomps here. He is by far the Tigers' best forward, and has been ever since he started there.

As for re-signing Ellis, I wouldn't be upset if he got himself a mega paycheck like Morley as long as it was elsewhere. If he's still motivated by winning I can see him rejoining us. You would think that even if we don't sign Ellis for next year there may be a bit of a clearout of some squad forwards at some stage.

with a potential back-row set of Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Delaney, Hauraki, Clarkson & Ellis next year I think it'd be a fantastic signing. With Bailey, Moore, Griffin, Smith, Singleton and I presume another signing up front that pack would destroy teams.

I wasn't having a go at Delaney, although he is no great shakes. He is an average back rower doing the job he is requested to do, and making a job of it. Go back to Ellis's time here and he was making those same yardage figures that you talk about for Delaney, and those same tackle counts. If Delaney could add the major thing to his game that is sadly missing, offloads and passing, then he would indeed be the player you make him out to be. If he added that element then he really would be a good player. But as it stands he's about as dangerous as a baby rabbit in a hat, for all his hard work. Ellis has that element to his game, better than most forwards around.

As for your 32 thing, how ridiculous. How would that age stop them making yards. Has it stopped Peacock for last 3 years? Has it stopped Morley. The body is what matters, and ability with it, not the age.

We must bring Ellis back... he is one of the best, surely we have the cap space. I'm certain GH said he was after a back rower when he went to Aus so that would suggest he feels we need improvement in that area..

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... _1_4295172 Gawwy on Ellis: [i “I would think we’d be interested, he is a quality player – no doubt about that – and a top-class person as well. [/i “It is something we will have a look at, the same as everyone else.” Howes on possible clubs : [i“He is a Cas lad, he enjoyed his time at Wakefield and he thoroughly enjoyed his time at Leeds and it was a big decision to leave. “I will be staggered if we don’t have conversations with all three.[/i [i“He’s 31 in May so it will probably be his last big contract, but it won’t be money-led. That will be part of it, but lifestyle, quality of football and the potential to win trophies is very important. “He has still got a lot of affection for Leeds, he still keeps in touch with a lot of the players and at the time he left he wouldn’t have gone to any other Super League club.”[/i

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... _1_4295172 Gawwy on Ellis: [i “I would think we’d be interested, he is a quality player – no doubt about that – and a top-class person as well. [/i “It is something we will have a look at, the same as everyone else.” Howes on possible clubs : [i“He is a Cas lad, he enjoyed his time at Wakefield and he thoroughly enjoyed his time at Leeds and it was a big decision to leave. “I will be staggered if we don’t have conversations with all three.[/i [i“He’s 31 in May so it will probably be his last big contract, but it won’t be money-led. That will be part of it, but lifestyle, quality of football and the potential to win trophies is very important. “He has still got a lot of affection for Leeds, he still keeps in touch with a lot of the players and at the time he left he wouldn’t have gone to any other Super League club.”[/i

Sounds promising but i wouldn't trust Howes as far as i could throw him the same with most sport agents.

Let the games commence. It's like 2004 post-season to 2005 pre-season all over again.

Hetherington V Howes is the reality TV show I'd like to see.

You try and bring good players to a club. I'm sure Leeds will look to sign him. Money could be the issue, if Ellis wants bigger bucks and thinks he's won enough trophies and played in enough big games then he'll go elsewhere.

Would I like to see Ellis in Hauraki out? No brainer. Ablett, JJB, Clarkson, Delaney and Ellis sharing the back row (Sinny doesn't seem to be moving from 6 anytime). Ali left, Pitts looks very average with a long way to go.

Mixed feelings. Ellis would be a great assett right so...but in a year ?? Think I would rather see the likes of Singleton and Ward developed more. In a year's time both could be better back rowers.